Laura McCullough

Rise - Poem by Laura McCullough

I dipped my milky, star tipped breastsinto the night of his mouth, his hands clutching my back. Into his dark, I poured my surrender, and he became the reliqueryof my secrets. Shame is only what is heldback. It glitters in a good man’s hand, the same hand that buttoned my shirtand smoothed my skirt, composed meagain, unbuttoning my mouth, memorieslighting up his night sky and burning offthe dark of mine until, when I am empty, we are both full, smooth, taut balloons, ready to be let go, ready to finally rise.